updated 01:25 pm EDT, Sun October 17, 2010

Meizu M9 said as fast as iPhone 4

Meizu's M9 smartphone was given a hands-on this weekend as well as testing that signals it's near complete. Developer Archon directly compared the Android phone against the iPhone 4 and claimed that it was slightly better in some areas. He told MeizuMe that it was slightly faster for web browsing and that it was much more comparable in its camera's responsiveness, never taking more than two seconds to be ready to snap a photo.

The Apple camera produced better image quality, he said.

He also compared it to reference Android phones, noting that its new interface was easier to use than Google's stock platform while running as quickly as on a Samsung Galaxy S. Most apps work, including advanced 3D titles like Need for Speed: Shift.

Meizu had already promised the phone by the end of the year and appeared on target, as the China Academy of Telecommunication Research (also known as CTTL) was spotted clearing the phone for use in its home country. It's unknown from M9Meizu's observations when the M9 was first submitted, but certification usually takes two months and could have the smartphone cleared to sell by mid-December or earlier. Photos (below) showed it largely looking as expected, although their blurry nature hasn't proven whether or not it's using an iPhone 4-level 960x640 display.

The company is known to be in a rush to sell the M9 as soon as possible since it has been ordered to stop selling M8s after Apple filed complaints about alleged copyright infringement. Meizu has insisted that the phone is original and has significant interface differences, but it's widely known to have planned the M8 as a direct attempt to seize on the iPhone's success -- first details appeared just weeks into 2007 -- and still has traces of iPhone-like UI through the M8 and potentially the M9.